NEW YORK, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were poised for a
higher open on Thursday, putting the S&P 500 on track for a
second day of gains, after better-than-expected data on retail
sales and the labor market.

Weekly initial jobless claims fell 9,000 to a seasonally
adjusted 315,000, marking a fresh three-month low and better
than a forecast for 330,000 new claims.

Retail sales for February rose 0.3 percent, slightly more
than the 0.2 percent estimate and ended two straight months of
declines, although the prior month was revised lower.

In addition, import prices increased 0.9 percent last month,
the biggest rise since February last year, but there was little
sign of a broad pick-up in imported inflation.

Investors have discounted many economic numbers that have
fallen short of expectations recently, attributing the weakness
to a harsh winter across much of the country. Economic activity,
evidenced by such data as retail sales, is expected to improve
as the weather warms.

Still, advances were checked by another round of limp data
out of China, the world's second-biggest economy. China's
economy slowed markedly in the first two months of the year, as
growth in investment, retail sales and factory output all fell
to multi-year lows.

Tensions in Ukraine continued to flare. Germany's Angela
Merkel warned Moscow it risked "massive" political and economic
damage if it refused to change course on Ukraine, saying Western
leaders were ready to impose sanctions on Russia if necessary.
Russia announced it had started military exercises near the
border with Ukraine, in what is likely to be seen as a show of
force in the standoff with the West over the Crimea
peninsula.

Later in the session at 10:00 a.m. ET (1400 GMT), business
inventories data for January is due. Expectations call for a 0.4
percent increase versus a 0.5 percent rise in the prior month.

J.C. Penney Co Inc gained 2.7 percent to $9.17 in
premarket trade. The department store chain is about to undo the
centerpiece of former Chief Executive Officer Ron Johnson's
failed vision to take the retailer upmarket, relaunching its
home goods sections.

Dollar General Corp lost 2.6 percent to $57.75 in
premarket after the discount retailer posted lower-than-expected
sales for the holiday quarter.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc jumped 8.7 percent to
$21.60 in premarket trading after it raised its full-year
earnings per share forecast and said it would buy back $30
million shares.

Venaxis Inc surged 16.9 percent to $3.17 before the
opening bell after the company said its appendicitis test
correctly predicted results in 97 percent of patients in a
clinical trial.